Ingot stacking machine and method



Feb. 7, 1961 KOlCHl WATANABE ET AL 2,970,708

INGOT STACKING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Sept. 4, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1

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1961 KOICHI WATANABE ETAL 2,970,708

meow smcxmc MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Sept. 4, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 QTM Feb. 7, 1961 Filed Sept. 4, 1958 Fig. 4

KOICHI WATANABE ETAL INGOT STACKING MACHINE AND METHOD 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 6

KO/Cf/l MMAYABE INVENTORS Kosu/vs JAA/O Aw BY Hula/Ilka 62454 M? INGOT STACKING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Sept. 4, 1958, Ser. No. 758,936

Claims priority, application Japan Oct. 7, 1957 13 Claims. (Cl. 214-152) This invention relates generally to the stacking of ingots and more particularly to the method and apparatus for coating and automatically stacking ingots.

The present method of stacking continuously supplied hot ingots is expensive in both labor and time. They are usually dumped haphazardly and sprayed with water until cool enough to handle by hand or crane. This also takes considerable floor space which in present industrial plants is at a premium.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a method and apparatus to overcome these ditficulties. The method involved requires the accumulation of a group of hot ingots while immersed in a coolant. If the ingots are hot metal, the coolant may be water or oil but some materials in hot ingot form may require cooling in an atmosphere of a selected gas. In either case the method is conducted with the ingots immersed in a coolant fluid and when ejected as a stack are readily handled with a forked lift truck and stored before they may be completely cooled to room temperature. Although it is preferable to cool the ingots while forming them into a stack, this invention contemplates stacking the ingots regardless of their temperature. Thus the cooling step is supplemental to the stacking method and apparatus.

An object of this invention is to pile or stack in good order with mechanical accuracy regardless of whether they are supplied continuously or intermittently and the stack presents the ingots so that they may be readily transferred in stacked relation to a place of storage or for other use but in a stacked form that is readily handled. This invention enables one to quickly present neat and smoothly stacked ingots with high efficiency which materially benefits and enhances production.

This invention contemplates the intermittent or continuous deposit of ingots where they may be accumulated laterally in predetermined groups. The group preferably being substantially as wide as the ingots are long with their longitudinal axes lying parallel. When the proper number forming the group is accumulated they are raised through upwardly open flap valves on which the group is deposited when the elevator is receded. The problem then is to alternate the angular relation of the longitudinal axes of subjacent groups. This step may be done in different ways. Each group may be alternately accumulated as alternate parallelograms so that the longitudinal axes of their subjacent groups are in angular relation up to ninety degrees. With this method the opposite ends of alternate groups are sloped first to create the opposite parallelograms and each successive group is raised through an upwardly opening flap valve for deposit. In the second way the groups of ingots are accumulated in the form of a square and then alternate groups are raised to a high and an intermediate level. The group at the intermediate level is then rotated ninety degrees so that the next group will pick it up and carry the two groups to the top level and lift that portion of the stack formerly deposited at the high or top level.

In each manner the stack grows and in the interim of states .j. aren't raising the stack a forked lift truck can remove the desired number from the stack or an intermittent conveyor may remove a predetermined portion of the stack at the instant that the elevator has reached the limit of its up ward stroke to leave the balance deposited at the top level.

Other objects and advantages appear hereinafter in the Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section taken on the line;

2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line;

3-3 of Fig, 1.

Figs. 4 to 9 inclusive are diagrammatic views illustrat ing the progressive steps of the machine in stacking ingots. Referring to the Fig. 1 of the drawings the machine is mounted on the foundation 1 which is provided with the elevator well 2 and supports the cooling fluid tank 3 that completely immerses the machine. The fluid coolant shown is a liquid such as oil or water which may be" circulated through the tank 3 by pumps and cooled when removed from the tank when in a recirculating cycle.

The machine 4 and. the frame 5 are made up of horizontal and vertical channel and beam members joined together as a unit permitting it to be lowered into the tank. The frame 4 supports the horizontally spaced track,

members 6 and 7 which are preferably box shaped and their upper surfaces slidably support spaced independent;

endless chain conveyors 8 that pass over the pairs of spaced sprockets it) and 11 at opposite ends of the frame. These sprockets are mounted on the respective shafts 12 and 13 carried by bearings 14 0n the brackets 15. One

pair of sprockets is provided with a suitable takeup 36.

The shaft 13 is driven by the chain 16 from the motor 17 mounted above the water level in the tank 3. The

upper or working flight of the spaced endless conveyor chains 8 rides on the tracks 6 and 7 but their lower andreturn flight hangsfree.

Above the pair of sprockets 10 is mounted a continuousingot molding machine 20 of which only the delivery end is shown. This machine has an endless chain of ingot molds 21 which are connected by links 22 and are passed around the sprocket means 23and at the station 24 the molds are struck by the roller 25 on the end of the pivotedlever 26 actuated by the linkage 27 on the end of the piston rod 28, the piston of which is actuated in the double acting cylinder 36 by the fluid lines 31 and 32 controlled by the valve 33 actuated by the servomotor 34.

Thus when each ingot is presented to the discharge station 24. the cylinder 30 is energized to actuate the roller 25 which jars the ingot causing it to drop to the conveyor 35 from whence it slides to the stop 37 and thence in steps to the stop 38 which is on the end of the transfer tray 40 supported by the pivoted parallel levers 41 and 42, the former being counter-weighted.

The weight of the ingot S against the stop causes the tray 40 to move to its dotted position carrying the single ingot and inverting it onto the conveyor 8. Each ingot S is supported on the spaced conveyor chains 8 by longitudinally extending flanges.

The return of the transfer tray 46 may initiate in timed relation the release of the next consecutive ingot. The spaced conveyor chains 8 are continuously driven so that the deposited ingot is removed from the vicinity of the depositing station 44 making way for the next ingot S. In the structure shown a drive means 45 is connected to: permit the operation of the lever 41 in timed relation Patented Feb.

whether or not it is necessary to have a powered drive.

The spaced chain conveyors 3 travel the ingots S to the left in Fig. 1 until the first ingot engages the fixed stops 46 arresting their further lateral movement. The conveyor chain 8 continues to slide under the ingot flanges 43 to maintain the ingot against the stops 46. The first ingot thus stops the second and so on until a group of ingots is accumulated by the stops 46. The summation of the width or transverse axial distance of this accumulated group preferably is substantially equal to the length of the ingots or the distance of their longitudinal axis so that the same number of ingots are accumulated in each group for stacking.

Since the conveyor 8 is continuous the elevator 47 with its plunger 48 raises the platform 50 that passes up between the track rails 6 and 7 and engages the under side of the group of ingots raising them up through the throat 51 at the intermediate level and the throat 52 at the upper or top level.

As the elevator platform 50 starts to rise the earns 53 engage the rollers 54 on the end of the levers 55 which are pivoted at 56 and force the pushers 58 inwardly to engage the ends of the ingots and straighten them avoiding any unevenness as a group.

As the elevator continues to rise the pushers 58 are retracted by the earns 53 before the platform 50 engages the underside of the squared ingots to raise them as a group as shown in Fig. 4.

The ends of the group of ingots engage and open the gates or doors 60 which are flap valves that allow the ingots to push them upwardly to open but when the ingots have pushed the valves or gates or doors drop back to their horizontal position missing the platform 50. These flap valves cannot open downwa dly. A similar set of valves 61 are mounted above the upper level throat 52. A valve is defined as one or a pair of folding doors or one of the leaves of such a door. The gates or doors 6i) and 61 are flap valve means as claimed herein.

Above the throat 52 is another and preferable a large throat 62 which is at floor level above the coolant liquid level 63.

When the elevator starts to rise it trips the trigger mechanism 64 to actuate the retractable. stops 65 that are two in number and extends upwardly between the track member 6 and 7 and stop further movement of ingots to the station over the elevator. Thus the ingots are initially accumulated until the elevator has an opportunity to raise the accumulated group to the intermediate or upper level and deposit the same.

When the elevator again descends the stop 65 is retracted and the ingots move to the stop 46 until a sufiicient number has accumulated and the elevator is initiated to raise the next group only through the throat 51 to be supported or deposited on the valves or gates 60. Since the first group deposited on the valves 61 are disposed in alignment with the next group deposited on the valve 60, it is necessary to rotate the second group of ingots until their longitudinal axes are disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axes of the ingots of the first or top group. This is accomplished by rotating the throat 51 and the valve flaps or gates 60 thereon to move or reorient this group of ingots to another angular position which is preferable at an angle of ninety degrees from the first group.

Thus the throat 51 is mounted on the turntable 66 carried by the circular slot 67 mounted on the frame 4. As shown in Fig. 3 a sector of the turntable 66 is provided with a gear sector 68 engaged by the rack 79 slidable in the track 71 and actuated for reciprocation by the piston rod 72 that operates in the double-acting cylinder 73.

When the elevator is descending and has deposited the squared group of ingots on the gates 60 of the turntable 66 as shown in Figs. and 6, the turntable is then rotated ninety degrees by energizing the cylinder 73 to re tract the piston rod 72.

When the longitudinal axes of the intermediate group of ingots are thus disposed at right angles to the longitudinal axes of the ingots at the next upper level, the elevator may again be energized to raise, squaring the ends of the next accumulated group as shown in Fig. 7, and raising this new group to engage the under side of the intermediate group and lift them into engagement with stack at the upper level as shown in Fig. 8.

When the elevator lowers a forked truck having the tines 74 which may engage between selected groups to receive them as the stack is lowering and haul the upper portion away allowing the remainder to drop back on the gates 61 as shown in Fig. 9 and the elevator then retracts for the short raising cycle to deposit the next group of ingots on the turntable at the intermediate level which turntable has been rotated to its original position to engage under the flanges of the next successive group of ingots to repeat the cycle of operation.

As shown in Fig. l the chains 75 and 76 respectively identify the positions of the elevator platform 50 and the rotation of the turntable 66 and the timing drive 45 determines the operation of the transfer 40. These three mechanical members, the chains '75 and 76 and the timer chain 45 permit coordination of the operation of the dif ferent parts to insure proper and complete function of the machine. They may be employed to mechanically or electrically interlock the operation of these parts.

We claim:

1. The method of stacking ingots having the length of their longitudinal axis longer than the length of their transverse axis which comprises the steps of grouping aligned ingots together in a horizontal plane until the accumulated length of their transverse axes is substantially equivalent to the length of the longitudinal axis of the ingots, raising in turn each accumulated group vertically and engaging the under side of the preceding group to stack and lift the same, depositing each raised group of ingots to independently support the stack, and horizontally revolving alternate groups in turn to dispose their longitudinal axes in subjacent layers at an angle to each other before they are raised to engage the under side ot the preceding group.

2. The method of stacking ingots as defined in claim 1 characterized in that the alternate groups are revolved to dispose their longitudinal axes at ninety degrees relative to each other.

3. The method of claim 1 characterized by the step of grouping. raising and depositing to stack the group of ingots while cooling the same.

4. The method of claim 1 characterized by the step of grouping, raising and depositing to stack the groups of ingots while submerged in a coolant liquid to cool the same, and raising the top of the accumulated stack above the surface of the liquid for removal in selected stacked groups.

5. The method of stacking ingots having the length of their longitudinal axis longer than the length of their transverse axis which comprises the steps of grouping aligned ingots together in a horizontal plane until the accumulated length of their transverse axes is substantially equivalent to the length of the longitudinal axis of the ingots, raising in turn each accumulated group of ingots vertically in a single column, depositing the first and odd raised groups of ingots independently in a top horizontal plane in the column, depositing the second and even raised groups of ingots independently in an intermediate horizontal plane in the column, horizontally revolving the second and even raised groups of ingots while in the column to dispose their longitudinal axes in subjacent layers at an angle to each other, the raising of the third and each successive odd group of ingots in the column by engaging the under side of the second and each successive even group of ingots in the intermediate horizontal plane and raising the same to engage the under side of the last deposited odd group of ingots at the top horizontal plane to stack to raise the groups of ingots in the column, and depositing the stack above the top horizontal plane.

6. The method of claim 5 characterized by the step of grouping, raising, and depositing to stack the groups of ingots while submerged in a coolant liquid to cool the same, and raising the accumulated stack above the surface of the liquid for removal in stacked groups.

7. An ingot stacking machine comprising a transfer conveyor means to receive and accumulate ingots, an ingot elevator means to raise each successive group of accumulated ingots from said conveyor means, an upwardly opening flap valve means aligned above the elevator means and through which the successive groups of ingots may pass and on which the groups of ingots may be deposited and supported when the elevator descends, a turntable means aligned above the elevator means and below said flap valve means, and a second upwardly opening flap valve means on said turntable means through which the successive groups of ingots may pass and on which each alternate group of ingots may be deposited and supported to orient the same when the elevator means descends.

8. The ingot stacking machine of claim 7 characterized by a fixed stop on said conveyor means to arrest the movement of conveyed ingots and accumulate a group over said elevator means.

9. The ingot stacking machine of claim 7 characterized in that said conveyor means includes spaced endless belt means with upper and lower flights.

10. The ingot stacking machine of claim 7 characterized by retractable stop means for arresting the movement of ingots on said conveyor means when said elevator means is raised.

11. The ingot stacking machine of claim 7 characterized by opposed pusher means on opposite sides of said conveyor means to push the ends of the grouped ingots before being raised from said conveyor means by said elevator means.

12. The ingot pusher means of claim 11 characterized in that pivoted levers support said pushers, and cam means on said elevator means to engage and actuate said pushers as the elevator means raises and before it engages the ingots to raise the same.

13. The ingot stacking machine of claim 7 which also includes a tank enclosing around said machine to hold a cooling fluid and maintain the ingots immersed in the cooling fluid when accumulated and stacked.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,389,794 Thiele et al. Sept. 6, 1921 2,184,519 Eppensteiner Dec. 26, 1939 2,313,478 Neja Mar. 9, 1943 2,538,734 Patterson Jan. 16, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 312,013 Switzerland Feb. 5, 1956 

